Farm-gate



(No Model.)

0-. P. EMERY.

FARM GATE. 7 No. 244,018. Patented July 5, 1881.

FIG.A

' Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES P. EMERY, OF LOVELAND, OHIO.

FARM-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,018, dated July 5, 1881.

Application filedApril 18,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. EMERY, of Loveland, Glermont county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Farm-Gates, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the first part of my invention is to construct a farm-gate in such a manner as to allow its free end to be pitched up at any desired elevation for the purpose of permitting sheep, pigs, and other small stock to pass beneath the lower bar or board, while at the same time any escape of large stock is effectually prevented. This result is accomplished by pivoting the rails, boards, or bars to the stiles or uprights of the gate-frame and coupling to said rails two oppositely-arranged diagonal ties, which -ties areso disposed with reference to each other and the rails as to effectually lock or brace the gate in any des'iredp'osit-ion, no matter whether its free end is elevated above or depressed below the normal level, as hereinafter more fully described.

The second part of my invention consists in combiningwith these pivoted rails and diagonal ties a latch, which performs the usual duty of keeping the gate in its closed condition and also of assisting in looking the gate so as to prevent it being lifted off the hinges, as hereinafter more fully described.

The third part of my invention consists in chamfering or beveling the lower end of the latch-stiles of the gate-frame and causing them to rest upon a ridge-shaped bearing-block located at the base of the latch-post, whereby the hinges'are relieved of any material strain while the gate remains closed, as hereinafter more fully described.

The fourth part of my invention consists in pivoting a lever to the same bolt or pin that supports the counter-tie, said lever being so arranged as to allow a person on horseback or in a vehicle to unlock the latch without dismounting, as hereinafter more fully described.

The fifth part of my invention consists in providing the latch-post with a series of holes to receive a pin or other stop whose insertion in either of said holes locks the latch when the free end of the gate is elevated, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, showing mygate locked in its closed or normal position. Fig. 2 is another elevation of the gate, but showing its free end raised from off the ground and a portion of the post V broken away, so as to expose the pin that bears against the latch. Fig. 3 represents the gate thrown open and its freeend resting on the ground below the level of the hinge-post. Fig. 4is an enlarged elevation of the latch-post, the latch and the perforated portion of said post being'sectioned. Fig. 5 is a plan of said post, its key or turn-bar being shown engaged with the latch-stiles of the gate-frame. Fig. 6 represents the beveled ends of said stiles resting on the bearingblock. I

Hung at A A to a stout post, B, are two parallel uprights or hinge-stiles, O 0, between which are pivoted by bolts D the ends'of as many boards, rails, bars, or slats, E F G H I, as may be necessary to form a gate of the desired height. The other ends of these rails or boards are secured by pivots J between the two parallel latch-stiles K K, the lower end of the latterbein g chamfered at 7a to rest snugly on the ridge-shaped bearing-block L, as seen in Fig. 6. Furthermore, these beveled ends of the stiles may be protected with metallic shoes, to prevent wear, and, if preferred, said bearing-block L may also be made of metal or capped with the same.

Pivoted at N to either one of the bottom boards, or to the lower portion of the latchstiles K K, are two parallel inclined bars or boards, 0 O, which constitute the principal diagonal tie of the gate-frame, the elevated ends of said bars being united with a pin or bolt, P, adapted to slide on the rail H. I

P is a bolt sliding against the under surface of said rail H, andP is another bolt, resting on the board G.

Pivoted at 6, either to the top rail, I, or to the upper portion of the latch stiles K K, are two parallel inclined bars, B R, that constitute the secondary or-counter tie of the gateframe, said bars being arranged in the diagonal manner shown, and having their free ends sharpened to bear firmly on the upper edges of the ties O 0. To prevent wear of the counter-tie R R, its free end may be shod with metal, as at 1",which shoe may engage with metallic or other notches on the bars O. A bolt or pin, a", connects the bars R R and serves as a pivot for the latch S, that plays freely in the opening between the latch-stiles K K. A spring, 3, may be employed for depressing this latch.

Swinging upon the pivot t is a short lever,

- T, capable of being operated by a person on horseback or in a vehicle, said lever having a depending rod, t, with a link or loop at its lower end to receive the latch S.

Firmly planted in the ground is the latchpost U, to which is secured a parallel plank, V, a block, it, and the turn-bar or key W serving to secure a suitable distance or interval between these members U Vfor the latch S to drop into after said latch has ascended either of the inclines X X and passed through either of the mortises as w, as seen in Fig. 4. w is the pivot pf the key or turn-bar W. The latchpost U and its plank V are perforated, respectively, at a t to admit the pin Y. (Seen in Fig. 2.)

When my gate is to be employed in the ordinary Way, the counter-tie R R is brought to bear upon the primarytie O O at such a point as to cause the various rails or boards E F G H I to be about horizontal, as seen in Fig. 1, the weight of the gate effectually preventing any accidental slipping of either of said ties. As soon as the gate is shut'from either side the latch-stiles K K readily ride up the proper incline of block L, and the moment the latch S drops into the slot between post U and plank V the chamfered ends of said stiles straddle said block, as seen in Fig. 6. Consequently said block serves as a bearing to relieve the hinges A A of any unnecessary weight or strain, and it also assists the latch in keeping the gate closed, which closure can be rendered still more secure by turning the key W down between the upper ends of latch-stiles K K, as

seen in Figs. 1 and 5; but when this button is turned up and the latch S lifted the gate can be opened either to the right or left, as may be desired.

To elevate the free end of the gate high enough to allow pigs, sheep, and other small stock to pass under the bottom rail, E, the free end of counter-tie R R is drawn toward the pivot N of the primary tie O 0, thereby lifting the latch-stiles K K and causing the va-' rious gate-boards E F G H I to assume the parallel inclined position seen in Fig. 2. Pigs, sheep, &c., can now pass under the gate, while larger stock cannot do so; and in order to prevent thepassing animals lifting the gate 01f its hinges A A, the pin Y is inserted in the proper holes a o of post U V, and thereby serves as a stop for the latch S. Evidently this pin and latch effectually prevent any further elevation of the gate. the gate can be elevated in this manner when the fence is situated on a hillside and the post U V' is higher than the one B, as the gate will then open and close as readily as though It is also evidentsaid posts were both on the same level; but the gate can be adapted to open and allow its free end to swing downhill by simply shifting the free end of counter-tie It Raway from the pivot N of tie O O, as seen in Fig. 3. This change causes the free end of the gate to sag down, and consequently the ends of the latch-stiles K K penetrate the ground far enough to prevent the gate being blown shut.

From the above description it is evident the two ties O O and R R, owing to their peculiar arrangement and mode of operation, allow the gate to be set in any position necessary, and at the same time without affecting the proper parallelism of the stiles O O, K K, or the rails E F G H 1. Furthermore, it is evident that, in whatever position the gate may be set, the pins or bolts P P P bear against their respective rails in such a manner as to distribute the strain and prevent any one part or member of the gate bearing more than its proper burden.

The invention may be modified by omitting the latch S and locking the gate with a hook and series of staples or with a chain, and in some cases the bolts P P P may have small rollers journaled on them for the purpose of reducing friction.

The block L, instead of being a fixture, may be pivoted to the latch-post or to any attachment of the same, so as to have a slight rocking motion that will prevent a sudden jar when the gate is closed.

Finally, the stiles of the gate may be single pieces of stuff, and the rails or boards may be arranged in pairs on both sides of the stiles, with the diagonal ties passing through the space between said duplicate rails.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In combination-with a gate provided with rails or boards, the opposite ends of which are pivoted to the hinge and latch-stiles, as herein described, a diagonal tie pivoted near the bot tom of the gate and having its free end arranged to slide on one of the upper rails, and a counter-tie pivoted at or near the top of the gate and having its free end bearing on said diagonal tie, as and for the purpose stated.

2. The combination of hingestiles O O, latch-stiles K K, pivots D J rails E F G, &c., pivoted diagonal tie N 0 O, and a swinging counter-tie, i R R, the free end of which latter rests on the tie N O 0, while the upper end of this tie O O rides freely at P on one of the gate-rails, for the purpose described.

3. The combination of hinge stiles O C, latch-stiles K K, pivots D J, rails E F G, &c.,

pivoted diagonal tie N O O, swinging counter tie i It R, and a series of bolts or pins, P P P, secured to the tie O O, and bearing against said rails, in the manner described and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The gate-latch S, pivoted at r to .the swinging counter-tie i R It, in combination with the stop-pin Y and perforations u v of the latch -post, as herein described.

IIO

5. The combination, in a farm-gate, of the p In testimony of which invention I hereunto 1o latch-stiles K K, beveled (k k) at their lower set my hand. ends, and a ridge-shaped bearing-block, L, applied at or near the base of the latch-post, for CHARLES P. EMERY. 5 the purpose herein described.

6. The lever T, hung upon the pivot '5 of the Witnesses: swinging counter-tie R R, and having a de- JAMES H. LAYMAN, pending rod, t, that operates the gate-latch S, L. H. BOND. in the manner herein described. 

